1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a photographing apparatus and method for accurately recognizing a face image in an area displaying a face of a person when photographing the person and reducing the likelihood of recognizing an area not displaying the face of a person as a face.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, when photographing is performed using a photographing apparatus, a distance to a target is determined using a phase difference detection type distance measuring apparatus, and then a focusing operation is performed with respect to the target based on the distance. In many cases, the target is a person. To capture a high quality image of a person, a photographing apparatus should have functions of automatically performing a focusing operation and an exposure operation based on the distance or other qualities of the person to be photographed.
Often, a photographing apparatus such as a digital still camera uses a technique for capturing a high quality image of a face of a person by performing a focusing operation against the face. Also, the photographing apparatus may use a technique for performing an exposure operation according to the brightness of the face.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. 2003-75717 discloses a technique for detecting a distance to an object and using the detected distance for performing a focusing operation of a photographing apparatus. In the disclosure of the patent publication, the photographing apparatus stores information regarding a standard size of a face of a person and compares the size of the face with an obtained size of a face in a photographed image area of the photographing apparatus to detect the distance to the face and uses the distance information during focusing.
However, when the above-described technique is used to detect a face, an object having a similar data pattern to the face of a person, e.g., a tree, is frequently mistaken for the face of a person. In such a case, the focusing operation is performed with respect to the object instead of the face of a person or the focusing operation takes a long time.
Other features of a digital photographing apparatus may also be dependent on accurately recognizing a face in an image. For example, the operating mode of a camera may be set to a portrait mode if a face is detected. Thus, a number of camera settings and functions may be based on accurately identifying a face in an image. Accordingly, mistaking an object for a face in an image likely reduces the quality of images captured by a camera relying on face detection technology.
Thus, technology for accurately detecting an object such as a face in an image is needed.